ORLANDO, Fla. – Universal Orlando announced Thursday that it’s set to raise the base pay rate for its team members to $15 an hour, beginning in June.
The announcement comes after Floridians voted in favor of Amendment 2 last year, which outlines a plan for the state’s minimum wage to reach $15 per hour by 2026.
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“Today’s announcement represents the single-largest wage increase in Universal Orlando history. And while $15 is Universal’s new starting base rate, the company is increasing start rates for many other positions based on job requirements,” Universal officials said in a news release.
The new rate will become effective June 27 and will impact full-time and part-time hourly positions as well as entry-level salaried roles.
Universal Orlando said earlier this month that it was looking to fill more than 2,000 full-time and part-time team members for the summer. The theme park said jobs are available in areas including attractions, aquatics, food services, culinary, merchandise, custodial, warehouse, entrance operations, call center sales and more.
Interested candidates can apply here.
“We are excited about our future and we want team members who will be excited to be part of that journey,” said John Sprouls, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer for Universal Parks & Resorts. “This is about taking care of both our current team members and those who will be joining our team. We know a great guest experience begins with our team members – and we will continue to provide the best work experience we can.”
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts announced in 2019 that when Universal’s Epic Universe theme park opens, team members would be making $15 per hour and wages would go up from there. Construction on the fourth theme park resumed back in March after being put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Universal currently offers its more than 18,000 employees a starting rate of $13 per hour.
Universal Orlando is the first Central Florida theme park to announce the wage change.
In 2018, well before the coronavirus pandemic and any amendment was approved, Walt Disney World and the Service Trades Council Union announced a deal for Disney employees to reach $15 an hour by 2021. That wage deal was supposed to be a gradual increase with union workers getting a raise every year, ending at $15 an hour in Oct. 2021.
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